First Large Container Ship Converted to LNG Arrives in Hamburg

The 15,000 TEU ship ‘Brussels Express’ from Hapag-Lloyd has been converted to an LNG ship. It has now entered its home port of Hamburg for the first time. The first complete LNG bunkering will take place on its next round trip in Singapore. ‘Brussels Express’ is the world’s first large container ship converted to gas propulsion.

(Hamburg) Over the weekend, the 15,000 TEU ship ‘Brussels Express’ entered its home port of Hamburg for the first time – it is the world’s first large container ship that has been converted to gas propulsion. In September 2020, the ship, then still named ‘Sajir’, went to the Huarun Dadong Dockyard Co., LTD in Shanghai. There, all preparations were made to lift the 1,300-ton LNG tank into the belly of the ship using a floating crane and to carry out further conversion work.

“Because there has never been a conversion of this magnitude, we faced numerous challenges – from planning to implementation. With this conversion, we have ventured into new territory and will now test the operational performance very closely,” said Richard von Berlepsch, Managing Director Fleet Management at Hapag-Lloyd. “Fossil LNG is currently the most suitable fuel on the path to emission-free shipping. In the medium term, the goal is to operate the ships with synthetically produced methane (SNG) in a climate-neutral manner.”

“Shipping for a cleaner future!”

In line with the European Green Deal, Hapag-Lloyd has renamed the ship to ‘Brussels Express’. Additionally, the phrase “shipping for a cleaner future!” adorns the breakwater on the bow.

The ship is not yet fully operating on LNG. At the end of this round trip, there will be final guarantee work. The first complete LNG bunkering will then take place in Singapore. In the future, the ship, which is currently operating in the Far East 4 service between Asia and Northern Europe, is expected to bunker twice per round trip: in Singapore and in Rotterdam.

Photo: © Hapag-Lloyd